trail_monkey

So where are they made then? Are you saying that the current Sunrace products are not as high of quality as they were 30 years ago? I have a couple of those Sunrace extended range cassettes and I think the quality on those is pretty good

trail_monkey

I will add that my math is off LOL. You guys are referring to products made in the 70s. But honestly I thought SunTour and Sun race were English or British manufactured? I guess I didn’t realize they used to be Japanese.

Kontact 

It is an old Japanese brand.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SunTour

I don't think Sunrace is owned by SR.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raleigh_Bicycle_Company

qcpmsame 

Isn’t SR Sakae Ringyo? For some reason that sticks in my vast empty chamber above. I recall a thread recently about the lineage of Sunrace, but I cannot find it. Their quality control leaves a lot to be desired. Lax machining in the examples I have held.

Edit, Read the linked wiki about SR Sun Tour.

Bill

Ghrumpy

SR is Sakae Ringyo, yes.

Suntour was originally part of Maeda Ind. It subcontracted to other manufacturers like SR, Sugino, Dia-Compe, and Sansin to make many of its patent parts (as Campangnolo often did). SR bought them in the late '80s but they went bankrupt around 1994 IIRC. Now both names are owned by some other company.
For a while they tried to stay in the component game with freewheels and low-end derailleurs, but now AFAIK the Suntour name is used mostly on suspension forks.
SunXCD was started by the former head of Suntour/Maeda a few years ago. They even use the old Suntour triangle logo. They make boutique components, and I believe they partner with Microshift for their derailleurs.

Now, regarding 7 speed freewheels and their spacing, I have some interesting information. I found out that I was not entirely correct. But Sheldon Brown dot com definitely needs correcting. As always, things are more complicated than I thought and remembered.

But I will not post that here, and only add information for those who are here for dropout spacing clarity. I will start my own thread on 7s spacing soon.

trail_monkey

Kontact 

Suntour is Japanese. Sunrace is Taiwanese. And I don't know where Sun Ringle is from, but Hayes in Wisconsin acquired them and also owns Sun wheelchair wheel company.

So I don't think having the word "Sun" in the title means much.

I have a Sunrace freewheel that shifts nicely and was cheap, but I would not be shocked if it broke a pawl.


"Suntour" - the company/division that used to make freewheels, hubs, chains, shift levers and derailleurs in its factory is really no more - the factory and tooling were sold off. SR kept its own manufacturing and just has the Suntour name.